


Fingers Tightly Crossed

by Nolite101



Series: Rapt Attention [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Slow Burn, don't need to read first part, spoilers- sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25931020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nolite101/pseuds/Nolite101
Summary: Dedicated of Lupus_Indicus and all those with her patience and kindness! :)Kinda yanking this one out and onto Ao3 because I've been sitting on it far too long. We never enjoy our first chapters, do we? As I move onto the next chapter I'll definitely be making some edits on this one.Also, I've been doing some research on life after losing a limb, and there may be some rewrites as I learn. Thanks!
Relationships: Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Rapt Attention [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1124241
Comments: 19
Kudos: 19





	1. Inside the Clam

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated of Lupus_Indicus and all those with her patience and kindness! :) 
> 
> Kinda yanking this one out and onto Ao3 because I've been sitting on it far too long. We never enjoy our first chapters, do we? As I move onto the next chapter I'll definitely be making some edits on this one.
> 
> Also, I've been doing some research on life after losing a limb, and there may be some rewrites as I learn. Thanks!

** _Spoilers for the entire work before this one._ **

_This is a quick recap of what the last story was about, there is no real need to read the last story before this one. Although it will certainly help with understanding emotional complexities. _

_ Previously _ Shane lost his job when JojaMart was run out of business, and overtime reclaimed sobriety by way of inaccessibility. His options became few, but he was offered a job on the farm by Laura, the local farmer. Taking it on, he eventually moved into her house with Jas, and a closer relationship was made. They shared a kiss and expressed emotions for each other, but it was short lived as a shadow brute had been lurking, seeking revenge on Laura for the slaughter of his people over the years in her time in the mines. But once she had gathered what felt like a small family, she stopped visiting the mines, and the shadow brute, Olc, now had time to fester on his hatred. In an attempt to get her alone in the mines where he’d have an upper hand, Olc stole away Jas. With help from Krobus and the wizard Rasmodius, Shane and Laura were able to brave through a bottom layer of the mines, only accessible from the sewers, and rescue Jas. In his attempt to kill Laura, though, Olc and Laura fell from a great height after Laura forced Shane to leave with Jas in order to save themselves. Olc died in the bottom of the mine, while Laura barely survived it. She was found by Krobus, and with the wizard’s help and magic, she lost a portion of her left leg to ensure her chances of survival. A plan was made, that a spell would be placed over Jas to replace the memories from the mine, with a trip to the mountain they would have taken, and an avalanche would be the reason they sustained injuries. The town would now believe this rather than know there were far greater monsters than slimes and flies in the mines. Now, Shane is wrestling with his emotions surrounding the entire situation, and his feelings for Laura, while she comes to terms with the loss of her left leg, but with a still physically demanding job she needs to get used to under new circumstances. Everyone is forced into a juggling act while Laura and Shane’s relationship has now been cast into limbo, new and delicate before, and now rocky and filled with doubt. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

With all wounds, it was primarily time that did the healing. Laura had gone into it feeling fairly strong, devastated by the slow crumble of her relationship with Shane, but felt she could solve that and all her other problems by just trudging through. Not that it was at all easy. Even eight weeks post amputation and the skin was shiny and new, mottled and uneven and she’d become slightly fixated on staring at it. Running her fingers over the end of her leg, and thinking how often she had taken having both legs for granted. Maru and Harvey had known there was some degree of magic that had gone into her healing, but curiously, neither really mentioned it. Laura had chocked it up to the somewhat large division between magic and science, even in modern times.  


“What are you thinking about?” Maru asked, and Laura looked up to see Maru staring just as intently at the rounded edge of her limb. She smiled, and shrugged, watching as Maru’s gaze flickered up to her own. 

“Nothing really just… reflecting. Thanks again for doing all this, it really beats driving out to Zuzu City for physical therapy.”

“Absolutely, it’s been interesting. Plus, I’ve had a great time tweaking your prosthetic! Dr. Harvey was telling me all about how difficult joint replacement is but I really think this prosthetic will be a step up from what you can get on the regular market. Maybe you can even let Shane go,” Maru said, and Laura’s head ducked down from what may have been the emotional pain of that statement. “Laura, You know I’m not trying to be mean, it’s just,-”

“I know what you mean but… I hired him even before my amputation, I don’t know if I could do it without him anyways.” 

“Linus could come help.”

“Linus is a great guy, but he doesn’t seem to enjoy the farm, I think he’s happier out in the forest…”

“Well hire Sam, or Alex, I mean maybe even Sebastian could help, there has to be a more reasonable solution. Shane is unhinged.”

“He’s not unhinged…”

“Well the bolts are loose on the door, Laura. You have bent over backwards for him, and I mean why is he being so crazy? You both chose to go on that mountain trip, how can he blame you for Jas getting hurt?”

“Maru…” Laura looked up at her new found friend through glossy eyes, it was always hard to keep calm during these talks. The emotions easily found their way into the raw edges of her heart.

“Okay, okay. I just… well, I’ll let it go. Just be sure to keep yourself at a priority, okay?” Maru rested a closed hand on one hip, and peered over her glasses at Laura who shrugged half heartedly and offered a weak smile. Maru only rolled her eyes gently, before patting her shoulder and nodding a “go ahead” to hop off the bed. Laura then went to sit more comfortably in a chair settled in a corner, hopping over with relative familiarity, and pulled on a silicone sleeve before fixing on the prosthetic, moving around until it sealed in as well as it could. Her friend watched with rapt attention, as usual. Marveling at her own impressive work, surely. Laura offered her a hug, knocking one of Maru’s feet with her prosthetic, a gesture she knew made Maru beam with pride. The amount of function she got out of her new leg, it was great that they’d grown close since her incident. How she longed to fess up, and admit all that had happened. But Rasmodius and Marlon had both agreed, it was better not to rile up the townspeople. Most had some knowledge of the bats, bugs, and slimes… but the deeper creatures had faded into myths for almost everyone over the generations. People had even been quick to assume the skeletons Marlon brought out for Halloween were faked. Laura didn’t want to be the reason for a town wide panic. 

Despite Maru’s desire to have Shane be let go from the farm, she hadn’t even seen me as much lately. A week after they’d been back, and Laura was at least getting around on crutches, Shane had moved back in with Marnie, who had quietly taken him back in and not said a single word to Laura since this had all gone down. Laura speculated she knew, but was keeping it quiet like she did all things related to Mayor Lewis. She also speculated that Marnie might harbor some resentment for the role Laura played in all this, as she knew Shane did. All these thoughts did a quick whirl, more like a constant little song and dance of failures playing in the back of her mind and she let go of Maru, and said her final goodbyes. Harvey wasn’t at the front desk when she left, and so the walk back to the house was quiet and relatively peaceful. 

The past eight weeks had been… difficult. But, she was glad that she’d gotten at least relatively used to her new life before winter. Maru even had a plan to outfit her shoes with “state of the art” ice cleats while she was still relatively new to the amputee life. 

  
  
  



	2. Moonshine

Shane could barely look at Jas, and when he did a slight rage would come over him. Not at her and maybe not even at Laura. Maybe just at his stupid notion of a better life. Things had been difficult for him ever since they had returned from their pseudo mountain trip. The idea of lying about such big issues and the grief that he had endangered his niece and then stolen her memories was almost too much for him to bear. Just because Mayor Lewis and Rasmodius could deal with that guilt or lack thereof didn't mean he could. Over the past 6 weeks he had often felt the call to drink himself into a better life even for a night. But for a long time, he’d refrained. Until the night now, where he’d been cleaning out the darkest corners of his closet to try and keep his mind off the haunting image of Laura slipping into the darkness, a monster clawing at her body and pulling her away. Or the one that haunted him most, his little niece looking lifeless in the middle of a nightmare. When he pulled out that bottle of vodka, it was just too much. He stared at it for a while and thought just a whiff could do. He’d been sober for so long now, surely moderation would kick in? He could feel himself making rationalizations. Just one shot, it would be fine, not even a shot- a sip. An hour later and he wasn’t sure how much he’d had, but things were spinning so fast he was making connections with more fervor than ever before. Laura had waited for him to become desperate before offering him a job. He remembered, feeling so desperate and craving any release, a little hatch into a world where he wasn’t so fucking upset. And after a while, the escape hatch was Laura’s front door. But she ruined his life, and his sweet nieces. She came in, thinking she’d fix everything, but things aren’t that fucking easy. 

He was halfway to her farm, the path was easy even with the brush that had built up, her inability to take care of the lower section of the farm for a while, and his inability to give as much of a fuck lately. In fact, he should probably quit right then, let her know. It’s over, he didn’t want to work there anymore, looking into a face who had caused him to feel so much love, and then so much grief. And he already knew she was fucking off with that piece of shit doctor. His brows furrowed deeper, and while he’d believe himself going right in the direction of her home, he didn’t notice how off he’d been until he was waist deep in water. He sputtered, the splash hitting him in the face, and his legs ached for only a moment before the numbing of how drunk he was took over. He sobered up just enough to yank himself out of the pond, but when he stood up his head spun again, until he doubled over, onto his hands and knees. The bottle was lost in the fray, and he yelled in frustration. In anger.

“Shane?” Laura asked, her hand reached down, and he smelled that warm scent of her skin, a smell of earth and spice. “Shane, are you okay?”

“Get the fuck away from me,” he growled. “I don’t need your fucking pity!” He looked up sharply at her, swallowing down bile as his head spun. The air was cold especially against his wet skin, but it also felt suffocatingly tight around him. 

“Shane, why are you here? What’s going on?” she pressed.

“I came here! To tell you!” He was shouting each phrase, emphasizing each snippet. “That I don’t need your fucking! Pity!” He stood now, standing tall, making Laura small in front of him, and her face etched with fear and sadness made him take a step back, recoiling in anger with himself now. She grabbed at him suddenly, but she only had one crutch on the side absent of a leg, and though her limb flexed as though she could ground the lost foot, she clearly could not and went tumbling into the pond with him. Their bodies crashed separately, and Shane breathed in a little water, now having fallen backwards into the pond. He stood up, coughing and cursing, and even while drunk he reached out for where Laura may have fallen in. He grabbed onto her arm, and pulled, his head spinning a little less when the top part of her came up, wobbling and hopping to right herself, coughing and trying to push her hair back. He was angry again. “You shouldn’t have done that! Let me fall, Laura! I can pick myself up! You have your own fucking issues, clearly!” he yelled, and gestured sharply, but felt a stab of guilt right after. She flinched, and he knew she knew. He’d been referring to her recently lost limb. 

“Did you come here just to yell at me?” She asked, voice a tone he’d never heard before. He glared, but his heart raced. “Did you come all the way out here, at one in the morning, just to tell me off? Inform me you’re quitting, and then point out what I’ve been struggling with? You’re right! I do have my own issues!” She was crying now, and his heart was suddenly as sodden as he was. 

“I’m… just angry at you,” he said, dumbly continuing his argument out of general self-preservation.

“I’m angry at me!” She laughed now, gritting her teeth, and hopping a bit more until her hand could make contact with the side of the pond. The moon was bright enough that he could see her face crumpled in despair, and he didn’t know how it happened but he was suddenly pulling her close to him, and she pushed her face into his chest, crying. He was wracked with guilt and felt pressure on his temples now. “I’m also angry!” she yelled now, pushing her face harder into his chest. All he could do, then, was stand there clutching her. Confused and momentarily diffused. Maybe it was the liquor and the moonlight, his boss and near love interest sobbing into this chest in a pond. He just didn’t know what to do in that moment, or what his next moves would even be. He just held her for now, closing his eyes to try and keep the world from moving around too fast.


	3. Grievance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Edits were made the next night, if you are interested in reading my drunk chapter you can add a comment and I'll send it somehow :) It's not crazy different, just some additions and quick fixes.
> 
> I am literally half drunk off a canned wine I randomly drank, and decided to write this chapter and publish it within the same like... three hours. So I'm intoxicated even writing this, but thought that maybe it'd end up being good. I'll find out tomorrow when I read it for the first time since writing it! I haven't proofread this, just let google chrome writer or whatever do it's thing. I listened to Acid Rain by Lorn and also Crystals by M|o|o|n and some other random stuff. ANyways, please enjoy, I will probably either delete or do some edits tomorrow (or like a week from now with my work ethic on this fanfic) I know this is a short chapter but I've actually been also working to some degree on a book written with my co-writer AspiringEmma who worked on Conflict of Interest with me! I might redact this later, but if you are interested in beta reading our YA Fantasy-Romance put a comment here! We have written AND voice recorded a very rough reading for any beta readers. Alright! Hope ya'll enjoy!
> 
> P.S.  
> Also, I WAS to some degree intoxicated while writing this. I cried for Laura at one point while writing because losing a limb would be a travesty but is NOT the end of her world. I fully support the disabled and don't want to do them any injustice by writing this character, but rather add inclusion for people who have lost a limb or were born without one. It is not to be shamed in any way, and I celebrate the achievements of those who are disabled and work hard for their position in a society that forgets their different requirements in WAY too many cases. I have a lifetime of education to go on those with different abilities and strive to learn. Also, support and demand ADA compliance! Thanks ya'll! c:
> 
> P.P.S. Again, literally NO re reading. First time writing and then just hitting post, I've not gone over what I've written AT ALL. Whether folly or not, I have so few readers that I trust ya'lls discretion and grace!!! Thank you!

Laura woke the next day with the shock of seeing Shane laying on the ground next to her. Memories were scattered like some type of 52 pick-up game but she quickly recollected last night’s mishap. Shane’s drunken plunge into the pond that took her with him, and the sobbing she’d done into his chest. Along with the sinking feeling that, yes, she still was missing a physical part of herself. But that was an everyday occurrence now. Where each morning she rubbed at the rounded edge of her limb, missing the feeling of extra leg there. 

She seemed to have bolted straight up, and the creak caused Shane to stir. Her sweet Shane, that had come barreling into her life in a way she knew she couldn’t handle. Not for a prolonged period of time anyways. Her head sank into her hands, elbows on her thighs and cradled her own face. This couldn’t be good. She peeked out from between fingers at Shane’s sleeping body, grateful that he wasn’t in bed  _ with _ her to potentially inform more dubious action. They’d barely even kissed much during their far too brief romance. It was a far cry from where they stood now, hardly even looking at each other when he showed up to work on the farm. And it had been quite some time since she’d tried to cook him anything. He brought his lunch from home now, scrambled eggs and rice nearly every day. Seemingly because that may be all he knew to make.

She was like that for a bit, staring down at him in hopes of formulating something to say when he woke. Without anything though, she eventually flopped back onto the bed and turned again to stare at him from a new position. Unfortunately, it was just her like that where she’d been blocking that one ray of sunlight now settled itself across his face and he was now groaning awake. His eyes opened only briefly before clamming shut again, disgruntled and he arched his back enough to supposedly feel that hardness of her wooden floors grind against his shoulder blades.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Shane groaned, and Laura used her core to sit up into a criss cross, gripping her own nub to balance herself. 

“Morning, Shane.” Her voice came out much more timidly than she wanted. He, in turn, froze and didn’t look at her. “Are… you still quitting?” He stayed still. Eventually he spoke and said,

“Yes.” Her heart sank and he glanced up at her, probably taking in that look of hurt and that glance to her scurried back away. “I’m gonna go now.”

“You don’t have to-”

“No. I’m going now. This was… embarrassing and I need to… remember last night,” he said, and rubbed at his temples in either exasperation or from his hangover, she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that she didn’t want him to leave. She wanted to talk over the issue they’d barely even touched on since it happened. 

“You don’t need to-”

“Nope! Seriously, I’m leaving. I can’t do this right now, let alone normally,” he said, but looked at her long enough to follow up with, “But… I will come back sometime so we can… talk maybe. Maybe next week? I dunno. But… don’t expect me back. I’m still quitting.” The last part of his words were rushed past his lips. Laura felt plucked. Naked and disoriented. He then stood up faster than she could get out of bed and was out the door before she knew it. She hobbled after him, disconcerted by the sudden rush and just having woken up and couldn’t match his pace. Only once at her bedroom door did she see him rush out of her house and she glanced back at her prosthetic, angry at its failure to magically attach when she needed it to. Anger was an odd feeling for her, who had grown up with such restraint and calm. Now though, at this very moment, she felt as vexed as she had when he’d taken her into the pond with him. She hopped over to her prosthetic and picked it up gently, knowing it’s weight of value. The more she stared at it though, the angrier she became. All these issues she’d been having, the tragedy of Jas’s kidnapping, the terrible journey they’d been on and their… love.

A spot of water plopped onto a rod of metal in the prosthetic and she looked up to look for some odd leak, but realized sheepishly that it was a stray tear of her own. “Fuck!” she screamed, startling herself even. She threw the prosthetic into the wall, overcome with a fury for herself she’d not known for some time. “Fuck you!” she shouted at the prosthetic, the juxtaposition of cheery morning air and the throwing of her pseudo limb not lost on her. She wanted to curse the sunlight too, of course it had to be a bright and sunny day on the day she knew she’d lost her help on the farm. 

  
Where the prosthetic clattered she saw a thin metal bracket pushed askew and broke down to her knee and began to weep. Of course, Shane wouldn’t hear this. He’d be far away by now, traveling half way down the farm in no time with his two working fucking legs. She put her face back into her hands and continued her sobs that decrescendo-ed from nearly violent to quiet and mournful. Today, she decided, she’d mourn for her own self. But tomorrow, she’d be getting shit done. She really had to- rather  _ needed _ to get things done. To reach out, to pick herself up, to move past Shane. The man whose life she’d ruined, that she felt, had in turn ruined hers. Life was already so different from what it had been. Even if she fought her hardest, things were never going to go back to normal. There was a new normal waiting for her, she just needed to find it.


	4. Round the Corner

It was resolved, her farm would need to wait on her for the day to get things in order. When she stepped outside, she’d noticed that the junimos were scuttling around with more fervor than usual. She wondered if they could sense her mood, or even the melt down she’d had yesterday from morning into the night. For once, she’d allowed herself to steep in a lot of emotions she usually placed on a shelf. High up, out of reach. Where she usually kept any dissonance with her primary mission of just being kind. It’s what her mom had taught her, and she lived by it. But there hadn’t been as much emphasis on how to handle it when things got out of control. How to cope. Just that time would heal all wounds, which she guessed it did. It was just the slow track out of a city of chaos, and she wanted out then and there. Her patience had worn thin. Hence the semi crisis for the rest of the day after she’d made her artificial limb unusable. 

Now she stood with solidarity for herself, she’d get to Maru’s, get her leg fixed with some chiding, and then get down to business on how she’d hire some outside resource, or maybe even post a notice to the community bulletin for some work needed. Surely some of these young people could take her up on the offer? Many of them still lived with family and might be able to use some work on the side or even full employment. Luckily, she was in no debt and could afford to pay them maybe even a little more than she’d paid Shane, since there was no way she’d allow someone else to live with her now. Large empty house it’d have to be and love be damned. She briefly clutched at her chest and threatened her own tears to not come.

By the time she got to the clinic on crutches, the artificial limb she had slung in a bag felt like a thousand pounds of regret. She wasn’t sure how she would be able to look Maru in the face, who had worked so hard on the prosthetic- no- the masterpiece, that had been broken in an instant with a moment of weakness. With sheepish resolve, she pushed her way into the clinic and Maru’s glance then grin could’ve killed her. Because within seconds, it slowly dissolved into a more stern look of consternation. 

“C’mon,” she said with little emotion, and led Laura into one of the patient rooms, drawing the curtain around them even though they were the only two in the building at the moment. “What happened?” she asked, and Laura could’ve crumpled into her arms. When those previously threatened tears began to fall, Maru said nothing but gathered her closely instead. “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’ll get patched up and be good as new,” she said, voice soft, and Laura let herself relax against her friend’s shoulder. 

After a brief cry, Maru asked no questions but quietly pulled the bag from her shoulder and looked it over.

“I thought this could happen,” Maru said, “It honestly is fairly delicate, it’s not quite perfect yet- I’ve not gotten it down the way I wanted just yet.”

“I’m really sorry… to be honest, Shane came by,” Maru’s eyes flashed to hers for a moment, wide, but she quickly went back to staring down at the leg as she set out tools to work on the damage. Maru hummed as affirmation of listening, and Laura continued, “He was drunk and we got into just… a weird predicament,” she paused as Maru’s hand tightened on the screwdriver, “nothing happened, seriously. We just argued and then he was so drunk he ended up sleeping over.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Maru said, but this time put the screw driver down to stare at Laura in disbelief.

“Nothing happened!”

“Who cares? Seriously he is the worst, he comes over and berates you, and then you think it’s okay for him to sleep in your bed?” she asked.

“He didn’t! I promise, he slept on the floor and then he got up and…” Laura choked, “he quit.” Maru sighed in relief and Laura gave her a wounded look. “Why are you reacting that way?”

“Cause he’s the worst! I’m glad he quit, I wish you fired him even,” she said, and went back to working, waving a hand at her. “There are tons who can take his place, Alex, Sam, maybe even Haley… maybe not Haley though, but still. There are people.”

Laura sighed heavily and nodded. “Think I can wear my prosthetic out of here?” she asked.

“Okay, Queen of changing the subject. Yes, you can wear it, just… well you know. Be more careful, a little, okay?” Laura nodded in response, and fished out her accessories from the bag, fitting them on herself while Maru worked away. 

.

.

.

.

After some less dour chatting, and another hug, Maru had sent Laura on her way, leg now attached and crutch in the bag. Right as she exited, she was surprised to see Haley taking pictures in the courtyard near the clinic, and Alex right beside her throwing his football in the air. Laura nearly suspected Maru of coordinating with them, but was sure she hadn’t. Maru didn’t talk to many outside of Penny, Harvey, and herself. It must be serendipity then, because Haley even perked up, waving a hand to Laura, beckoning her over. She always felt a tad intimidated by Haley, but made her way to them anyways, leaning on the fence outside the courtyard, where Haley met her. Alex followed along with her, continuing to toss his football. 

“Hey girl,” Haley said, staring blatantly at the prosthetic, but corrected herself after Laura gently cleared her throat. “Whatcha doing?” she asked. Laura smiled, and patted her prosthetic gingerly, not yet ready to be at all rough with it. 

“Just had to get a tune up,” she said, hoping not to get into it.

“That thing is badass, Laura. Seriously, and so awesome that you got to go snowboarding,” he paused, and his cheeks tinged red, “I mean, if you hadn’t, you know, well-”

Laura laughed, and shook a hand placatingly. “Yeah, I understand what you mean. It was definitely fun while things were okay. I’m just glad we’re all here now and pretty much okay,” she said, and tried to resist the image of the real terrors they’d gone through. 

“Hey, speaking of which, why is Shane being such a dick lately? Like, more than usual?” Haley asked, placing a hand on her hip. 

Laura stammered a little, “I…” Now was her chance. “I don’t know, really. I don’t see him as much and he actually quit recently. I’ve been looking for a replacement,” she said.

Haley and Alex spoke over each other, her looking for more information on Shane, and him trying to ask about the job. Laura chose to hear Alex.

“Yeah, I just need someone out there during the day, at least a few hours. I’ll probably downsize some unless the new person could work as much as Shane.”

Alex once again spoke over Haley, who this time only huffed and crossed her arms. “I’ve been looking for some part time work, Laura. Think you’d give me a shot? Wait, you pay right?” Laura laughed, and nodded, informing him of the rate and Alex pumped a fist. “Yeah! Great! I’ll start Monday?” Laura nodded, and before Haley could continue the inquisition about Shane, Alex had roped her into a new conversation about going to Zuzu City and catching the next gridball game since he’d have an income. Laura quietly excused herself, and left feeling strangely elated. Maybe it was the excitement from Alex, or Maru’s support, but things had actually gone much better than she could’ve hoped. Tomorrow was Friday, and she’d have to go by the clinic to grab Maru. They needed to celebrate a new chapter. This loss of a physical part of herself had really shaken her up, and she was ready to celebrate herself a little more. Maybe Maru was right, she was better off without Shane. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about adding a little bit of spice in this. I've never been one for writing any explicit scene, and I don't think it'll be too explicit by any means, but I'm not totally sure. Anyways, the rating will probably go up. Unless I get like loud protest from anyone haha c: Thanks!!


	5. Quiet Night of a Fervent Heart/Mind

The following day after some tidying up around the farm, restocking the hay feeders, spending time with the animals, and checking on the junimos, Laura finally made it to the clinic late on Friday evening, just barely catching Maru. After some obvious squirming from Laura, they went to sit against the raised flower beds, Laura rubbing at the area around where her skin met the added limb. Maru watched intently as she babbled about her day, how it’d been slow except for an argument she got into with one of the suppliers of a basic medication. Laura listened with fondness, glad Maru was able to talk to her about something other than the accident and how her prosthetic was treating her. Most of the other townspeople seemed only capable of doing that so far. It was only right that Maru would stare at the prosthetic though, probably excited that it was working well so far, despite her mishap the other day.

“So anyways, why’d you come all the way out here? Not that I’m glad to see you two days in a row,” Maru said, looking up to Laura’s face, who grinned now.

“Well, I almost thought you set it up, but Alex was outside when I went to go home and-”

“He agreed to work with you?!” Maru asked, shooting to her feet and clapping her hands together excitedly. Laura giggled, and Maru smoothed her hair down from where it had blown askew in her zeal and sat again, attempting a more composed expression. 

“Yes, he did! Uhg, I was so stressed about it even though you were right, there was really no reason to be nervous. Something woulda come along,” Laura said, and lightly shoved her friend’s arm. Maru grinned.

“I don’t need to say I told you so but…”

“I know, I know, I’m just so glad things seem to be going well. I actually had wanted to ask if you were interested in going by the Saloon to celebrate tonight but I’m way more tired than I thought I’d be. No help is a lot harder than it looked, my leg is so sore after even a couple hours,” Laura said.

“Well, it’s going to be like that for a little while, we discussed this before, but you are just a deceivingly headstrong person I guess. I mean, you had to be to take on Shane,” Maru said, and squeezed Laura’s arm when her expression fell and her eyes cast downwards, “Okay, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be bringing him up, he just, well whatever. This is a happy day, and next week is going to be great, right? I’ll have to swing by on my lunch break or something, anyway, I’ve got a hike up the mountain so I’ll see you later okay?”

Laura nodded in response, and they hugged again before Maru walked away, leaving Laura in her thoughts against the flower bed. She wasn’t quite ready to get up and walk home, although she needed to as the light dwindled. 

Just as she heaved herself forward, a thin sliver of yellow light split the plaza as the clinic doors opened. Harvey stepped out, locking the door behind himself, and jumped as their eyes met. Laura waved, shifting awkwardly but when Harvey began to laugh, she joined in.

“How are you, doc?” Laura asked.

“Quite well, Laura, how are you? Your leg doing okay still? I heard you came by yesterday,” he said, and approached to stand a couple feet from her. 

“Yeah, it’s fine. Just a little accident but Maru got it fixed up good as new,” she said, and Harvey nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and glanced at the limb before smiling at her. Laura cleared her throat. “So, uh, what brings you out here?” she asked. Harvey put his arms down and into his pockets, rocking on his heels before straightening back out. He seemed to oscillate between sheepish young man, to respected doctor often. 

“Oh, I just go and take walks up to the community center sometimes, or even the mountains. Since the community center opened I keep a model plane in there and sometimes like to fly it at night… would you like to join me?” he asked, and rubbed the back of his neck now. He sure did seem more fidgety than normal.

“I would but… I’m sorry but my leg has been giving me issues as I use it into the night, honestly. I might have to pass for now.”

Harvey put his hands up in admission, and inclined his head. “Sure, sure! That makes sense, I mainly do it for the fresh air anyways so, um, maybe I can walk you home instead?” he asked. She noticed his cheeks flush, and Laura’s did too. She hoped she wasn’t reading the situation wrong, but decided to err on the side of heavier intention in his words. She shuffled, and nodded shyly. What was the real harm anyways? “Great! It was getting kind of dark anyways, glad I can walk you home,” he said, “not that you can’t get yourself home or anything though! But, I’m just happy to, uh, walk with you,” he said, and Laura nodded soothingly, giving him another smile.

“I know what you mean. It’s nice that people have been worried about me,” she said, and took notice of another flush from Harvey as they began walking.

It felt odd, to walk side by side with a man she rarely communicated with. She’d heard some flitting rumors a while back about him sending out a few feelers to see if she was single, but she’d heard nothing about it again once Shane had started working for her. It had definitely been awkward between Harvey and Shane when he’d come to visit her in the hospital and they’d had the main blow up fight. She’d really not talked much to Harvey at all since he’d hugged her in the hospital bed while she shuddered with tears against his chest after Shane had stormed out. She’d felt too awkward to approach him again after that, and he had apparently been willing to give her some space. She hoped it wouldn’t be brought up tonight. Or maybe even ever.

There was the issue of another rumor about Maru and Harvey having had somewhat of a thing for each other, but Laura decided she’d cross that bridge if it even came to it. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to get to another side of anything with the doctor, as much as she appreciated him. She was just too torn up about Shane still, if she were to be honest with herself. 

So with little expectation, she walked alongside Harvey, politely listening while he described things about the winds that were coming through recently, and reiterating what she’d heard from Maru about the mailing issue, and finally some discussion about cloud formations. It was nice, letting someone take the reins of conversation, Shane always needed back and forth while she was comfortable just listening. It’d been sort of nice to work for conversation, but wasn’t it better to be comfortable with lending an ear? That just suited her personality better. 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you at the clinic sometime?” he asked, and Laura snapped out of her thoughts, unsure of when she’d stopped listening. She reddened at this, and hoped it wasn’t something he’d bring up. It didn’t seem to matter, because as she felt her face heat, she noticed his was too, which made her wonder if he was getting the wrong idea. The wind, luckily, cooled her off. Winter was nipping at the town’s heels more often lately. She was pretty sure he’d even mentioned something about it during their walk. 

“Um, yes, absolutely. I’ll see you around, Doctor Harvey!” she said, and scurried up the steps as fast as she could now-a-days. Her leg must’ve known she was home because it was smarting even more than it had on the walk over.

“Just Harvey,” he responded, waving at her from the bottom of her stairs, and she walked into the house, leaving the door open enough to nod at him nervously.

“Sure! I’ll see you, Ha-Harvey!” It felt a little weird to say his name under the circumstances, but she definitely wanted to avoid coming off as rude. He looked at her with a softened expression, and smiled at her in a lopsided way she was sure made other women’s hearts swoon. A handsome doctor who cared for a small town? What wasn’t to like? 

She gave him one last wave before getting back inside, collapsing onto a dining chair while Ooma meowed her crossness loudly. Laura had been deep in her thoughts lately and hadn’t been as affectionate with her cat as she should have been. She scooped up the bundle of fur and dug her face into her cat, who became even more annoyed, squirming until she was set down again. 

  
“Ooma, what am I going to do?” she asked, and went to pull out a nighttime snack for the both of them. They deserved it, she thought. A mini celebration alone with her cat is just what she needed. Things were looking up, she decided. They  _ would _ look up whether “things” wanted to or not. 


End file.
